Bed-lounge



L. LA TOUR.

(No Model.)

'BBD LOUNGE.

Patented Jan. 24, 1893 WITNESSES M 45 an;

THE NORRIS Pms cm, mormumu. wAsvilNu'mm'u. n.

PATENT FF IcE.

LOUIS LA TOUR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BED-LOUNGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,480, dated January 24, 1893. Application filed May 12, 1892. Serial No. 432,716. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS LA TOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Lounges; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to produce a bed lounge which may be readily operated to shift it from one form to the other without requiring that any lifting or hard work be done by the operator, all the parts being made to move easily and all complicated mechanism being avoided so as to adapt the article for use by ladies.

With this end in view I have devised the simple and novel bed lounge which I will'now describe referring by numbers to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating the article in position for use as a lounge or sofa, Fig. 2 a perspective illustrating the article in position for use as a bed, Fig. 3 a plan view the position of the parts corresponding with Fig. 2, the head rest being folded and a portion of the covering of the vertically movable frame being broken away to show the operating'mechanism, Fig. 4 an end view as seen from the right in Fig. 3 a portion of the frame being broken away, line of the view being indicated by w a: in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line indicated by y y in Fig. 4, Fig. 6 a detail sectional view on the same scale, the section line being indicated by z z in Fig. 5, Figs. 7 and 8, show a portion of the vertically movable frame and the means for operating it, the figures showing the raised and depressed positions.

1 denotes the frame, 2 the head rest, and 3 the body of the main or lounge portion of my improved bed lounge. The body is upholstered in any suitable manner and rests upon two legs 4 which are preferably provided with casters 5 as shown. 6 denotes a frame which is adapted to slide within frame 1, frame 1 being provided at each inner end on its inner side with a plate 7 having a lug 8 which engages a groove 9 in frame 6 said grooves being provided at their inner ends with similar plates and lugs 7 and 8 which constitute a stop to prevent frame 6 from being disconnected from frame 1 when frame 6 is drawn out as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, which see in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. Frame 1 is provided with rollers 10 which engage the sides of frame 6 and with rollers 11 which engage the top of frame 6. These rollers prevent the possibility of binding and insure that the parts will separate with the least possible exercise of strength all binding and 65.

friction being avoided. The inner end of frame 1 is supported by frame 6 from which it is not disconnected in use, frame 6 resting upon four legs 12 which are also preferably provided with casters. Upon the rear end of 0 frame 6 is a back 13 which serves as the back of the lounge or sofa when the article is closed up as in Fig. 1.

The head rest 2 of the sofa is hinged at one end at the middle as at 15 so as to open out when the article is used as a bed, the outer side of the swinging portion being upholstered to correspond with the upholstery of thebody, the other portion being a fixed portion of frame 1. The inner side of the swinging porpillows thereby dispensing with a bolster or extra pillows.

16 denotes a vertically movable frame which is preferably provided with springs 17 and a covering 18, or may be upholstered in any suitable manner to correspond in elasticity go with the upholstery of the body. This frame is provided at each end with a plate 19 having a set of rack teeth lying in the plane of the plate and an outwardly extending rib 20.

21 denotes a shaft one end of which is jour- 5 naled in a plate 22 at one end of frame 6 the other end being journaled in a plate 23 carried by a cross piece 24 near the other end of frame 6. This shaft is provided at each end.

with a pinion 25, one only of said pinions be- [00 ing shown in the drawings, which engages the rack teeth on the corresponding plate 19, plates 22 and 23 being provided with grooves 26 which receive ribs 20 and serve as guides for frame 16 when it is moved upward or downward.

It will be seen in Fig. 3 that sufficient space is left between cross piece 2% and the end of frame 6 for a ratchet 27 and a crank 28 at the end of shaft 21. 29 is a pawl which engages the ratchet to lock frame 16 in the raised position. It will be noticed furthermore that frame 16 is practically made in two parts so as to permit the shaft to pass through it and the frame to be moved up and down, the parts of said frame being rigidly joined together and braced by plates 19 and by a covering strip 30 which connects the two parts and covers the opening for the shaft.

In the lowered position frame 16 sets down within frame 6 and in the raised position, is is at the same height as the sofa body on frame 1. hen opened out as in Fig. 2 the swinging portion of the head rest engages the lower end of frame 16 thereby retaining it in the raised position.

The operation is as follows; Suppose the article to be closed up and in use as a sofa as in Fig. 1; the operator takes hold of hand piece 33 on the under side of frame 1 and draws it out until it is stopped by the engagement of lugs 8; frame 16 is then raised and the swinging portion of the head rest turned over as in Fig. 2. The article is then ready for use as a bed. In changing it back to a sofa the operator first turns the swinging portion of the head rest over as in Fig. l and then lowers frame 16 after which frame 1 may be moved back over frame 6 inclosing it perfectly. It will be seen in Fig. 7

that there is quite a space, which I have indicated by 34, between the top of frame 16 and the top of frame 6. This space forms a convenient receptacle for blankets, comfortables and other bed clothing.

4. denotes a false leg on frame 1 which covers the rear leg on frame 6, when in the closed position.

Having thus described my invention I o1aim;-

1. The combination with frame 1 and frame 6 adapted to slide within it, of frame 16 within frame 6, plates 19 having rack teeth and outwardly extending ribs at the ends of frame 16, a shaft carrying pinions engaging the rack teeth, plates 22 and 23 in which the shaft is journaled and which are provided with grooves which receive the ribs, a ratchet on the shaft and a pawl engaging the ratchet to retain frame 16 at the raised position.

2. The combination with frame 1 and frame 6 adapted to slide within it and having a cross piece 24, of frame 16 having plates 19 provided with rack teeth in the planes of the plates and outwardly extending ribs, plates at the lower end of frame 6 and on the cross piece having grooves to receive said ribs, a shaft journaled in said plates and having pinions engaging the rack teeth and a ratchet, a pawl engaging the ratchet and a crank be tween the cross piece and the end of frame 6 whereby frame 16 may be raised and lowered.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS LA TOUR.

\Vitnesses:

A. M. Voosrnn, MATTIE K. DAVIS. 

